Improved devices for aging liquors



A. & A. S..WALCOTT. Ageing Liquorsj No. 16,766. Patented March 3, 1857;.

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A. WVOLCOTT AND A. S. IVOLOOTT, OF EAST BLOOMFIELD, NEIV YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,766, dated March 3,1857.

' and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to the improvement of alcoholic liquors byimparting to them what is termed age.

The improvement consists in the employment of swinging shelves, or theirequivalents, for the purpose of gently agitating the liquors while theyare exposed to a moderate heat. One or more shelves of iron or othersuitable material are swung by means of chains or ropes fromthe ceilingof a suitable apartment.

Theliquors may be contained in common casks or other suitable vessels,which are placed upon the shelves. The shelves are then moved to and froby an attendant, or by connection with any suitable motive power. Aslight reciprocating motion only is required, so that very little powerwill suffice. (If preferable the shelves may be stationary, formingfloors, and a gentle oscillation be given to the casks by rods.) Beneaththe shelves we place suitable stoves, which furnish the heat required inthe process. No special arrangement of the stoves is necessary, theironly objectbeing to afford sufficient caloric to heat the liquor aboveto a temperature of from 80 to 100 Fall'- renheit. The apartmentin whichthe process is carried on should be darkened. The vessels containing theliquors should be closed, but

they should not be entirely filled, as some space is needed for thebetter movement or agitation of the liquids.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a swingingshelf and appurtenances. Fig. 2is a side elevation of a frame forrolling the casks, and thus gently agitating the liquors. Fig. 3 is aplan view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In Fig. 1, A is a swinging shelf, supported by means of cords or rods Bfrom a suitable framework, 0, or from the ceiling of an apartment.

D are rods whose inner ends touch or rest against'the sides of the caskE, which contains the liquor. The outer ends of rods D connect by meansof cranks Iwith rod F, and the latter is pivoted at one end to thecam-piece G. Power is applied to the crank H, which causes the cam-pieceG to revolve and impart a re-' ciprocating motion to rod F; and themovement of rod F is communicated through the cranks I and rods D to thecaskE, which,with the shelf A, swings gently back and forth.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate an equivalent mode of gently agitating theliquors. This mode consists in gently rolling the casks J K by means ofa frame, M, which connects through a rod, N, with a cam-piece, G. Theframe M thus receives a reciprocating motion and imparts it to the casksJ K. The latter are thus rolled or tipped gently back and forth, and theliquor within is agitated. O O are pivots or pins which connect thecasks J K with the frame M. I? P are beams upon which the casks roll.The beams serve as stationary shelves, before mentioned.

WVe prefer for general use the employment of the swinging shelves foragitating the liquor; but it is obvious that Various other equivalentdevices might be adopted for the same purpose.

By subjecting alcoholic liquors to the above process they will beimproved in quality in proportion to the length of time during which theprocess is continued. If, for example, they are thus treated withoutcessation for aperiod of six months,they will be improved in quality soas to be fully equal to similar liquors that have an age of two years.

\Ve find that by our process we make a saving of three-fourths of thetime commonly required to impart a given age or quality to any kind ofalcoholic liquors.

lVe would here remark that wedistinctly disclaim the heating of liquorsto a moderate temperature for a continued period for the purpose ofimproving their qualities or giving them age, for we are well aware thatthis is a very ancient and well-known practice. Indeed, it was thepractice of the Romans to put up their wines in skins and subject themfor great lengths of time to the smoke and heat of their domesticfire-places. It is also common at the present day to rectify some kindsof alcoholic liquors by exposing them to heat in vessels closed withbladders. Neither do we claim to have discovered the fact that alcoholicliquors are improved by agitation while at the same time they are warmedby exposure to a moderate heat. Neither do we claim, broadly, theimproving of the quality of liquors by means of heat and agitationcombined, for this effect is clearly obtained when vessels laden withliquors are sailing in tropical climates. Under such circumstances theliquors become moderately heated, and by the motion of the waves aregently agitated. Indeed, the process we have invented, in its effectsupon the liquors and the results produced, bears a strong resemblance tothe effects and results wrought upon liquors that are carried in vesselsas described. In fact, it is well-known that liquors are sometimes sentout in ships under the equator and into tropical climates for theexpress purpose of having their qualities improved by such voyages. Noother satisfactory explanation of the process or manner in which theyare thus improved can be given, except that it is done by thelong-continued agitation and moderate heat to which they are exposed onthose voyages. Again, it

is well-known that Madeira wine is prized for its good qualities inproportion to the number of times it has crossed the equator.

The various examples cited,while they show that liquors can be and longhave been improved by subjection to moderate heat and gentle agitation,also prove the novelty, the importance, whereby the said results can beobtained in a more expeditious manner and without the great labors,costs, and risks which are attendant upon sea-voyages. In this lattercase not only property but life is staked.

The means which we have invented to give the required agitation withmoderate heat present all the advantageous results \which arise fromsending liquorsnpon seavoyages, besides the further advantage ofeffecting a great saving in time, labor, expense, risk, and life oversuch methods, and over all other methods.

\Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of swinging shelves or their equivalents for the purposeof gently agitating the liquors while they are exposed to a moderateheat, substantially as herein described.

ANSON IVOLCO'IT. A. SPENCER XVOLOOTT.

XVitnesses:

J osnrrr T. SMITH, JOHN H. MoRsn.

and the value of any means

